Bali, Boracay set to sign sisterhood agreement

The government of Bali, Indonesia will soon sign a sisterhood agreement with the Aklan provincial government.

Aklan Gov. Florencio Miraflores said Indonesian Ambassador to the Philippines Yohanes Kristiarto Soeryo Legowo confirmed the plan during their meeting Tuesday.

"The initiative came from the Indonesian government as Boracay has recently been considered one of the world's best beaches," Miraflores said Wednesday.

In his presentation during the meeting, Legowo said that the Indonesian government is committed for joint tourism promotion, joint tourism management training, familiarization trip for travel agencies and tour operators, seminar for tourism development, export of local handicrafts, opening of branch tour operator, and direct flights from Denpasar to the Kalibo International Airport.

"I was told that the Indonesian government wanted to learn from our people's voluntary effort on environmental conservation and management. Some Indonesians are reportedly not keen on volunteering to help in their environmental sustainability," Miraflores said.

In December last year, the Indonesian embassy had sent a representation to the Aklan provincial government to discuss the proposed sisterhood agreement. Legowo visited Boracay last year on the invitation of Ilocos Gov. Chavit Singson.

"Apparently, Legowo, fell in love with Boracay Island, one of the considerations why the sisterhood agreement is being finalized," Miraflores said.

Bali became famous as a tourism zone in the 1950's while Boracay earned international recognition in the 1980's.